Glioblastoma-related gene mutations and over-expression of functional epidermal growth factor receptors in SKMG-3 glioma cells

Christopher Thomas, Greg Ely, C. David James, Robert Jenkins, Michael Kastan, Anne Jedlicka, Peter Burger, Robert Wharen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

Amplification of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene is found in about 40% of glioblastomas (GBMs) but is rarely detected in GBM cell lines. We confirmed that the exceptional SKMG-3 GBM cell line retained amplified EGFR genes in vitro, and found that these sequences were concentrated on extra-chromosomal DNA particles similar to double-minute chromosomes. The cells contained two other gene mutations that are associated with high-grade astrocytic tumors: extra-chromosomal amplification of the cyclin-dependent kinase-4 (CDK4) gene and a homozygous mutation within the PTEN tumor suppressor gene. Immunoblots revealed very high levels of EGFR, moderately increased expression of CDK4, and no detectable PTEN protein. The over-expressed SKMG-3 EGFRs responded to exogenous ligand and resembled normal rather than mutant receptors. A heterozygous mutation of the p53 gene (p53R282W) correlated with failure of radiation to induce the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21waf1 or an early G1 cell cycle arrest. Although each of these gene mutations occurs in GBMs, SKMG-3 cells had an unusual genotype in that a p53 gene mutation co-existed with amplified EGFR genes. Nonetheless, the SKMG-3 cell line can be exploited as a model to study how oncogenic EGFR signals in GBM cells interact with over-expressed CDK4 and loss of PTEN to confer the malignant phenotype.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)605-615
Number of pages11
JournalActa neuropathologica
Volume101
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2001

Keywords

  • Epidermal growth factor receptor
  • Glioblastoma
  • PTEN
  • Tumor cells
  • p53 gene

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pathology and Forensic Medicine
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

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